You’ve just been seated at a new restaurant that you’ve never been to before. The hostess hands you both the menu and the wine list. Which do you pick up first? I’ll explore some wine pairing tips to make your meal more enjoyable, no matter which one you decide on first.
Those Wine Rules
When push comes to shove, it depends on what you like. That makes sense from a wine pairing perspective. You gravitate toward the foods you prefer. Naturally, you’ll do the same with your wine. That’s an excellent starting point.
I hesitate to use the word, rules, because it implies that there’s no wiggle room. If we all experienced food and wine the same way, it would make sense.
But we don’t.
The first of my wine pairing tips is to view them as suggestions, albeit, good ones. It boils down to what kind of experience you want. If the wine is just wetting your whistle, it probably doesn’t make much of a difference.
On the other hand, if you want to complement each one or even make one or both better, then you need to give it a bit more thought.
What Does a Good or Bad Match Taste Like?
It would probably help if we define the goal. Let’s start with a bad match that doesn’t involve wine but makes the point loud and clear…
Have you ever taken a sip of orange juice after brushing your teeth? Yuck! Now that is a bad match. The flavors clash, making both things taste awful. That can happen with wine too.
What about a good match?
You’ve probably had had many stellar ones. Chocolate chip cookies and milk, anyone? An ice-cold beer and a brat? You can have the same experience with wine and your meal.
Some Basic Wine Pairing Tips to Start
One of the classic wine pairing tips is to match the weight of the wine with the food. Think poached salmon versus scallops in a cream sauce.
Another analogy is to compare the mouthfeel of the wine with either skim, 2 percent, or whole milk. It’s an expression of the sugar and the alcohol.
Many wine lists will give you some clues about this factor based on how the restaurant groups their selections. They may divide wines into Crisp, Light Wines, Medium-Bodied Wines, and Full-Bodied Wines.
Now you’re in the right ballpark.
The Dish on Acidity
Acidity in wine ranges from 2.9 to 3.9 on the pH scale. For comparison, vinegar is 3 whereas water is neutral at 7. It’s a good trait when it comes to what’s in your glass.
A wine that is more acidic can cut through fats in what you’re eating and create a refreshing experience. Think of champagne and lobster. Yummy!
Acidic wines can work with other dishes that also fall into this realm. A crisp rosé can make a divine pairing with Margherita pizza. The acidity of the wine cuts through the fat of the cheese and complements the tomato sauce.
More Dos and Don’ts for Wine Pairing Tips
A few more tips can help you pick a wine that you will enjoy with your meal…
Let’s say you’re drinking a lovely California Cabernet Sauvignon. The chances are that you’re noticing a drying sensation in your mouth, especially if it’s a young wine. Those are the tannins at work. A delicious way to manage them is a steak. The fat in the meat will tame them down and make for an enjoyable pairing.
One things you should always remember is how tastes interact. Salt, for example, will bring out the sweetness in wines. The interactions work both ways. Alcohol will make bitter foods more so. Likewise, it is a disaster in a glass with spicy foods.
If there is a golden rule with wine pairing tips, it is that the food should not be sweeter than the wine. Let’s just say it’s like that toothpaste-orange juice scenario.
Not good.
Wine pairing isn’t an art or science as much as it is an experience. Like flavors in food and what’s in your glass can elevate a meal. It’s a worthwhile goal.
By the way, I reach for the wine list first.
Photo by Pinar Kucuk on Unsplash